Ballon d’Or set for changes after UEFA deal

<p>From next year, football’s most prestigious individual prize, the Ballon d’Or, will be co-organised by UEFA.</p>, <p>The deal comes seven years after a previous partnership between the French organisers of the award and world governing body FIFA ended.</p>, <p>From 2024, the Ballon d’Or awards will be co-organised by UEFA and Groupe Amaury, the publishers of France Football and L’Equipe.</p>, <p>For six seasons from 2010 the award was known as the FIFA Ballon d’Or. But from 2016, FIFA has run its own Best Awards.</p>, <p>This year’s Ballon d’Or was held Monday in Paris with Lionel Messi winning the men’s prize for the eighth time, while Aitana Bonmatí took home her first women’s award.</p>, <p>“UEFA will contribute its football expertise, market the global commercial rights and organize the annual awards gala,” a statement said.</p>, <p>The deal will also see UEFA scrap its own player of the year awards, which have traditionally been handed out in August.</p>